Peace at Last
by Emily95
Summary: Harry has the choice to return to the Battle of Hogwarts after his death or "go on". He chooses the latter. Reunited with his friends and family, Harry is at peace. But with time moving differently between worlds and the ability to look down on Earth, Harry realises he has made a terrible mistake. Now he must return to the world of the living and rectify his mistakes .
1. Chapter 1

As Voldemort raised his wand, Harry looked on with acceptance. This was what his life had been leading to. The Boy Who Lived, the sacrificial lamb. He almost sighed as the jet of green light shot towards him.

Then nothing. Harry Potter was gone.

* * *

Light gently pressed upon his eyelids, comfortingly warm air caressed his skin. For the first time in many years, Harry awoke without an ache or pain. Whether from his scar, body or mind.

A feeling of peace filled him as he slowly opened his eyes and took in his glowing surroundings. A world built of mist and cloud yet oddly corporeal, greeted him. It all felt distinctly familiar, he just couldn't quite place it…

'Hm mm' a voice sounded behind him.

Harry whirled around to be greeted by the bespectacled face of Albus Dumbledore, his piercing blue eyes twinkling softly and a smile playing upon his lips.

'Professor, I…How…Where am I?' stuttered Harry, though already knowing deep down where he was.

'My dear boy. No, man! After all you have done, you are most certainly man. Well done, I am so very proud of you.'

Dumbledore enveloped Harry in an uncharacteristic hug, which Harry hesitantly returned.

'To answer your question Harry, we are between worlds. Voldemorts horcrux has been detached from your soul, as you can see over there' Harry peered in the direction he pointed to see the deformed, infant like form shuddering under a bench. 'You now have the choice to, as they say "go on", or you could return to the world. I suggest the latter.'

'Ahhhh, so that's where we are. Kings Cross Station'. The pieces finally fitting together. How poetic it seemed that the place that had first led him to Hogwarts could either return him there or take him on.

'Sir, why do you suggest that I return? Haven't I done enough? I have lived through hell these last few years. I have been broken, over and over again. I have lost so much and so many. I have ached, both physically and mentally, all because of this bloody quest to rid the world of Voldemort… And now he's gone. And I feel no pain. I know that if I "go on", then I will see my parents. People I should, but have never known. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can return. There are those who can finish this for me. Don't look at me like that Albus. Why should I shoulder all the responsibility. You may think me a coward, but I am not. I gave my life. Willingly sacrificed myself without the knowledge of whether I would be able to return. And you know what. I choose peace. I choose my parents. Sirius. Remus. Hedwig. I'm…I'm sorry.'

Harry stood panting (if that were possible in limbo), and stared defiantly into his Headmasters eyes, challenging him to argue and try to persuade him to return to the war-torn wizarding world.

Surprisingly, he didn't.

'Harry, you brave man. You have every right to choose your path! I will not stop you. You have sacrificed so much for our world, I understand your need for peace and "the next great adventure''. I only warn and remind you that you will be leaving your friends in uncertainty and battle back there.'

'I know Sir, thank you for understanding. However, I know that my friends will do what needs to be done. I trust them. And I know I will see them again someday.'

'Very well. If you are ready, then I think you have a train to catch.' As if by magic, an elegant pearlescent steam engine materialized. It let out a melodic whistle, calling Harry to board.

With a smile, the two wizards walked towards the doors. Harry started to climb on board, turning to assist Dumbledore who stood on the platform.

'I'm sorry Harry, but this is a journey which we all take on our own. But do not worry, I will see you again soon.'

Taking a step back, the doors closed upon Harry.

'Goodbye Sir, thank you.'

Goodbye Harry, you brave man.'

As the wheels started to turn, Dumbledore disappeared into the mist. Finding everything suddenly cloudy, Harry rubbed his eyes, only to find that the carriage was filled with a blinding white light.

Then Harry Potter knew no more.

* * *

 **Hello everyone!**

 **So this is my first multi-chapter story, I hope you like it!**

 **I'd love your opinions, but please keep them nice and constructive. No one wants insults thrown at them!**

 **I am very excited to see where this story goes!**

 **I can promise you all now that I most probably won't be a weekly updater.**

 **Please review, follow and favourite!**

 **Much love,**

 **Emily**


	2. Chapter 2

Out of the blinding light came the shores of a great lake.

Harry found himself staring across the unending waters, a light breeze ruffling his untidy hair. He inhaled a breath of the freshest air he had ever known. It hinted at all of Harry's favorite scents, like a familiar face tugging at the recesses of the mind.

Without a sense of time, Harry continued to stare across the lake, relishing in the silence. Suddenly, footsteps came racing across the gravel behind him. Turning slowly with a huge grin upon his face, Harry witnessed his family and friends racing towards him with looks of joy upon their faces. Skidding to a halt in front of him, they stared with looks of amazement tinged with melancholy.

Stepping forward with tentative steps, Lily Potter raised a shaking hand to her son. 'Harry? My beautiful boy. Come to me!' Rushing the few steps between them they crushed each other in a hug. Harry tingled all over as he experienced something that he had been deprived of all his life. True maternal love. Taking a deep breath, Harry inhaled his mothers smell. He briefly wondered how that was possible in the afterlife, but quickly pushed the thought away. Her scent pulled at his infant memories and he let out a sob. A sob for the lost years and the unmade memories. For what could have been and what came to pass.

'Shh my boy, it's ok, we are together now, you did it and we are together.' Lily whispered comfortingly in his ear, his sobs becoming shuddering breaths. Quickly another set of arms encompassed the pair. A powerfully built man, who Harry knew instinctively as his Father, rested his head against his wife and sons.

'I've dreamt of this moment for as long as I could remember' murmured Harry, relishing in his sense of completeness.

For several moments they remained in this close embrace, a whole family for the first time in nearly 17 years. Harry knew in that moment that he had made the right decision to "go on". As he had witnessed in the Mirror of Erised in his first year at Hogwarts, his hearts deepest desire had come true. He was whole once again. The horcrux banished from his soul… In an instant he raised his hand to his forehead searching for his scar, startling his parents.

'It's gone! How!?' exclaimed Harry. 'Is it because of Voldemort's horcrux being destroyed?'

'No Harry' James interjected, 'Once you leave the world of the living, your soul leaves behind all its earthly scars. You appear as the day you are born, without a blemish, but in your physical peak. You are truly free from Voldemort's influence!'

Harry grinned joyfully at his parents, then noticed the crowd of people stood behind them. Harry gasped. Unable to contain his shock at those who had come to greet him in the after-life. All those he had lost on the way stood before, and some who he did not know, yet instinctively recognized as his extended family. It took a second to decipher who some of the people were, particularly Mad-Eye Moody, who stood tall , scar-less, with all limbs intact and his own eye restored.

Stepping out of the crowd came his Godfather, in all his youthly splendor. Gone was the haunted man from Azkaban. He grinned roguishly at him and held his arms wide.

'Sirius!' Harry ran at him and threw himself into the arms of the man, who in their brief time together, had become like a father and mentor to him. Harry still felt the guilt weighing upon his shoulders for his Godfathers demise.

'I'm sorry Sirius, I should have thought, used the mirror, listened to people, I'm so sorry…'

'Harry!' Sirius quickly interjected. 'You have nothing to apologize for! You acted in a quick thinking and brave fashion. _I_ should have had my wits about me and been a better godfather and duelist… Now enough of this! Now is not the time. There are plenty of people here who wish to say hello and acquaint themselves!' Sirius chuckled softly as doubt still played upon Harrys face, but the overwhelming excitement of seeing his friends and family overtook his troubles. Stepping back from Sirius, Harry hesitantly raised a hand and waved at the collective in front of him.

'Hello everyone!' He softly and shyly spoke.

Without preamble, everyone exclaimed their greeting at him and moved forward to properly greet him.

With eyes shining with barely contained tears of joy, Harry threw himself into greeting everyone.

When he reached Remus and Tonks, Harry embraced them and whispered 'I'm so sorry I'm not there for Teddy'.

Remus, holding Harry at arms length, looked him directly in the eye and firmly said 'You have _nothing_ to apologize for. Nothing. Do you hear that. Because of you, our son will live in a world of peace. And besides, I'm sure Ron and Hermione will do a wonderful job of raising him!'

At Harrys startled look, Tonks burst out laughing, her hair rushing through various shades of pink.

'It might cause them to stop bickering! They will do a grand job I'm sure!' Tonks assured him.

Grinning weakly at the pair, Harry moved on in his greetings until he had briefly greeted everyone. He knew that he had an eternity to properly acquaint himself with them.

Out of the crowd, Fred Weasley raised his arms and exclaimed 'Time for the feast!'

Letting out a cheer, the crowd turned from the shore and started to walk up a gentle slope covered in wild flowers and lush grass to a table at the top of the hillwhich was heavily laden with food.

'Feast?' Queried Harry. 'But it's the afterlife, how can we eat?'

Chuckling at Harrys question, James who was walking beside him, answered 'It might be the afterlife Harry, but we can still enjoy food! We have the memories of the tastes, smells and textures. Though it is not real, we can still enjoy the sensations of the meal. And we thought that this occasion deserved an extra-extravagant feast!'

Harry's eyes lit up in anticipation of his first proper meal in months! No more dandelions in a tent! The thought of treacle tart started to make his mouth water.

Suddenly, from behind the crowd ascending the hill came a shout.

Whirling around, the crowd saw a sight that filled their stomachs with dread.

Professor Minerva McGonagall stood with a heaving chest and tears streaming down her usually composed face.

'NO! No, no, no, no…' Minerva dropped to her knees, clutching her face in grief.

Racing down the slope, Harry dropped to his knees before his teacher.

'Professor, what's happened?' Hoping against hope that his darkest fear had not come to pass.

Raising haunted eyes to meet Harrys, Minerva spoke in a quivering voice.

'Voldemort. He's winning. He's taken Hogwarts. The snake lives. They will all die. Why did you have to die Harry Potter?'

* * *

 **So there you go! The 2nd chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me have your feedback! I am already planning the next chapter.**

 **I know it was mostly filler, but I felt it was very important to have a proper reunion with his parents!**

 **Thank you so much to those that reviewed, favourited and followed!**

 **Emily**


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